KIEV, July 15 - London-listed Ukrainian agricultural firm Mironovskiy Hlebproduct (MHP) said on Thursday it had increased production and sales of key products in the second quarter after launching new facilities.

Ukraine's largest poultry producer's said chicken meat sales grew 45 percent year-on-year in the first six months of 2010 to 168,500 tonnes.
'The increase was driven primarily by the launch of production at Myronivka phase two in the second half of 2009 at full capacity utilisation,  MHP said in a statement.

'Demand for chicken meat during the first half of 2010 remained high as consumers continued to substitute other meats with locally produced chicken.'

The country's economy is recovering from last year's 15 percent slump with growth seen at up to 6.7 percent year-on-year in the second quarter. At the same time, the central bank continues to intervene to keep the local hryvnia currency from appreciating, making domestic producers

more competitive against imports.

MHP added sunflower oil output was up 61 percent in January-June at 95,900 tonnes due to the launch of a new sunflower crushing plant in September 2009. MHP was able to sell 'close to 100 percent' of oil produced, it said.

Sausage and cooked meat output grew 31 percent to 14,200 tonnes in the first half of 2010.

MHP will publish its financial results for the first six months of this year on August 26.

(Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Mike Nesbit)